


Run

by siluria



Series: Of Monsters and Men and Hell Between [5]
Category: Chronicles of Riddick Series, Doom (2005)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-06
Updated: 2013-06-06
Packaged: 2017-12-14 03:19:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,823
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/832110
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/siluria/pseuds/siluria
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Riddick has spent most of his life running.  Just because he's running towards a fight, doesn't mean there aren't still hunters at his back.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Run

**Author's Note:**

> Written for [Smallfandomfest](http://smallfandomfest.livejournal.com) on Livejournal, the prompt being Reaper/Riddick, On The Run.
> 
> Many thanks to [taibhrigh](http://archiveofourown.org/users/taibhrigh/pseuds/taibhrigh) xx

The markets of Titus IV are a riotous clash of color and noise. The close press of people allows Riddick anonymity as he slips between the stalls and down side streets. His side twinges as a child pushes past him in the crowd, but the pain is nothing compared to just a few hours earlier. He may not heal as quickly as Reaper, but it's a far sight faster than it was before the shitstorm at Crematoria.

Riddick slipped away from the ship while Reaper was arranging fuel and parts. It's a been a long time since he last landed on Titus IV, and that was before the amount on his head was as tantalizing as it is now. Riddick prefers to walk through life on his own, his agenda is his, and while it may have started out as merely being survival and freedom, now he has the UAC to keep him… honest. 

He's certain if he asked Reaper to share the intel he has on the UAC that the other man would hand it over, splitting the workload would get the job done quicker, and Riddick would feel less unsettled without someone at his side. Riddick doesn't have a ship though, doesn't have any weapons beyond the blades he carries, and as of yet, doesn't have Reaper's intel. The latter means that he's going to have to face Reaper again if he's going to keep raining hell on the UAC. 

When they met, Riddick's intentions had been to get some answers about the UAC, a way off the planet, and to make sure Reaper wasn't one of _them_ before he let him loose. He'd have taken a fuck too if that was on the table. It's been some time since anything other than his own hand has been near his dick, and Reaper is heaven to his slam-muted senses. Watching Reaper fight though, that's enough to get him hard. He doesn't miss what he aims at, and while Reaper has grace in his movements he's a survivalist, he'll fight dirty if he needs to.

Walking away should be easy, might be still if it wasn't for that hum of connection that he feels. Riddick doesn't know how much he broadcasts, but he recognizes what's incoming. Reaper might be hell-bent on wiping out the UAC, but there's an undercurrent of fear the man can't shake off, one that flares up every time Riddick comments on Reaper's perfection. Reaper doesn’t want to end up in the UAC's hands, yet he delivers himself to them each time he breaks into one of their nests. Riddick admires any man that can face his demons. And that's Riddick's problem, because admiration is something rare, something that leads to caring, that leads to getting someone killed. Reaper might be hard to kill, but Riddick's always been bad medicine. Him leaving is the safest option.

Decision made, Riddick makes his way back to the hangar where Reaper's ship is. Everything he owns he's wearing, there's nothing there except the intel he wants on the UAC. If Reaper isn't there then Riddick's pretty sure he can get something out of the ship's computer.

The market is busy, people flooding the streets. It's easier to hide in a crowd, which is why he doesn't spot the all too familiar face until their eyes meet. Riddick curses under his breath when Toombs goes for his gun. He spins on his heel as much as he can in the throng of people, pushing innocents aside before he dives down an alleyway, stonework splintering as a bolt from the rifle hits where his head had just been.

There are still people in the alley, and the adjoining street he bursts out into is as crowded as the last, and Riddick uses his newly enhanced abilities to leap up the side of the building to the roof where he can pick up speed, leaping across alleyways and dodging hanging washing. From the sounds of the footsteps he counts four of them. That doesn't mean Toombs hasn’t got more on the ground.

If this were open space he'd be taking the fight to Toombs, but there are too many people around, and Riddick knows Toombs doesn't give a shit about who he hurts to get to a pay day. Riddick just needs to get Toombs and his crew somewhere where he doesn't have to worry about people getting in the way. Problem is, while he can move quicker than Toombs, up on the roof Toombs doesn't have people in the way of his aim.

Riddick ducks behind a chimney stack, crouching down in its shadow he unsheathes the two ulaks and turns his attention to the sounds the mercs make as they edge across the rooftops. Toombs is hanging back, letting his crew flush out the prey. Riddick slows his breathing as he tracks the approaching men, readying his blades as they reach the roof he's on. He cocks his head as he makes sure he has their positions right before breaking cover.

It's a matter of seconds to take them down, the sharp edges of the blades slicing through cloth and skin with ease. But with the two men dropping to the ground Riddick's now in the open. He manages to twist out of the way of the first shot from the third merc, and he feels the heat from the passing shell. Riddick ducks and sets off again over the rooftops. There's a gap ahead of where the buildings are bisected by a roadway full of people and market stalls, the off-white canvas covers of the stalls fluttering in the wind tells him it's too wide to leap across. He skids to a stop and flexes his fingers around the handles of the blades, listening as the third merc slows his pace.

Riddick turns slowly, judging the distance he'll need to throw the blade. He smirks, an expression that causes the merc to pause, suddenly wary. The pause is all Riddick needs, and before the merc can bring his rifle up, the man is falling backwards, one of the ulaks embedded in his torso. Three down, just Toombs to go. Toombs however, has stayed far enough back that the rifle he has trained on him has more reach than Riddick's second blade.

"I'm wondering if your hide's more trouble than it's worth. That's two crews you've cost me."

"Gotta stop hiring from the bottom of the barrel, Toombs."

"I've got you twice now."

Riddick smirks as he feels the hum of Reaper's presence. "Who says you got me now?"

Toombs laughs, but the barrel of his rifle doesn't move, Riddick's got to give him points for that. "Dead or alive, this time Riddick," Toombs calls. "It's a hell of a lot easier if you're dead."

Riddick grins. "You first."

Toombs goes for the trigger. Less than a second later, Toombs is face down on the dusty rooftop, the blood spreading out from the hole in his back. Riddick walks over to retrieve his ulak from the body of the merc, before leaping over to the rooftop where Toombs' body lies. 

"I take it they're not the only ones on your tail," Reaper mutters when Riddick finally joins him several blocks over.

"Safe to say not," Riddick grins, the blast of adrenaline fueling his good mood. "Seems I still need to get a bounty off my head."

Reaper sighs as he shoulders his rifle. "You always this much trouble?"

Riddick shrugs. "Yeah, pretty much."

Reaper shakes his head, saying nothing more as he turns and jumps down from the roof to the alley below. Riddick pauses only a moment before following. He stays in Reaper's shadow as they make their way back to the cruiser.

"Are you staying or going?" Reaper finally asks over his shoulder as he heads to his room.

Riddick follows and leans against the open doorway, watching as Reaper strips his rifle down, laying it on an oil-stained rag spread over the dresser, ready to be cleaned.

"You asking me to stay?"

Reaper raises his head and frowns. "No."

"I work better alone."

Reaper shrugs. "So do I."

"I'll bring you trouble."

"I noticed."

Riddick huffs out a breath. His instincts scream at him to run, but his head wants to see where this will go, where Reaper will allow it to go. "We going to talk about this?" he asked, tapping his temple to show Reaper that he means their strange connection. Something that Riddick is sure brought Reaper to the rooftops when Riddick needed a helping hand.

Reaper's only response is a shrug, and a strange tremble of unease filters through Riddick's thoughts.

"Not one for talking much myself," Riddick says for him, and he straightens from his slouch. "You going to freak out every time I think about fucking you?"

Reaper startles at the question, and Riddick feels a brief flush of panic before it abruptly cuts off, as if Reaper got hold of the emotions and shut them down. Riddick finds he doesn't like that.

"It's been a while. You could fuck me, it might get rid of some of the tension," Riddick offers.

He can practically hear Reaper's teeth grind as he forces out his reply. "I'll bear that in mind."

Riddick doesn't move, and Reaper has to physically push past him. He stays where he is until the ramp has retracted and Reaper has moved to the controls and powered up the engines. He smirks at Reaper's flinch when he drops into the co-pilot's seat, the twitch in his jaw as he clenches his teeth is obvious. He's going to enjoy this game, he thinks, especially as he sees himself winning out in the end.

The screen to his left flickers to life, two files laid out. "Pick one," Reaper says.

Riddick turns the chair so he can see the options. The two bases are similar, but Reaper's intel indicates one's still in operation while the other seems quiet and disused. Riddick doesn't mind a challenge, and the chance to really see what the UAC are doing and bring down one of their bases before they can create imps seems the best option. It will put them on the UAC's radar though, and they'll be watching their backs for Riddick's mercs as well as UAC soldiers. Riddick's used to being on the run. If Reaper wants to finish what he started with the UAC then he's going to have to get used to it too.

He taps at the file for the active base. Reaper smiles as if the answer was obvious and Riddick just passed a test. Reaper's fingers then input the coordinates. Moments later the cruiser lifts from the ground before Reaper deftly pilots it out of the hangar. Riddick settles back into the seat, pulls out his blades and sets about cleaning and sharpening them. He reckons they'll be needed soon.


End file.
